Process of and apparatus for making gas.



. B. yB. BENHAM. y, PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

Arrmcnron FILED oo'r.1s,'19o9. I

Patented Aug. 15, 19,11.

8 SHEETS-SHEET I.

` @meh/tofu.

E. B'. BBNHAM. PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS POB. MAKING GAS.

Patented Aug.. 15, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wup Moz /wam @5 att ifdl crm/111mg APPLICATION FILED 00T. 16, 190,9.

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E. 13. BENHAM. PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FOB. MAKING GAS.

5 vwe who@ E. B. BBNHAM. PROCESS OP AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 0011s. 1909. Y Patented Allg. 15, 1911.

6 HHEETB-SHEBT 4.

E. B. BENHAM. PRoGBss o11 AND APPARATUS FOB. MAKING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED 001210, 1909.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Zijro M 7J E. B. BENHAM. PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1909.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

'UpNiTED sTATEs PATENT onirica.

ELIJ'AH B. BENHAM, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR`TO H/YDROCARBON CONVERTER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PROCESS 'OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING- GAS.

To all whom 'z'. t may concern;

Be it known that I,l ELIJAH B. BENHAM, a citizen of the United- States of America, and a residentof New London, county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful- Process of andApparatus for Making Gas', of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for gasifying hydrocarbon oils, particularly crude oils, scalped oils, (i. e., crude oils which have been depived of the greater portion of their lighter hydrocarbons,) distillate, fuel oil, and the like.

- As a process the invention comprises passing oil, preferably mixed with air or other gas, through a high temperature zone lcontaining a material which preferably is a nonmetallic clayey or silicious material, saidzone being maintained at a temperature which preferably is at or above 800o Fahrenheit and preferably approximates 1100"- to 1500o Fahrenheit; and the invention further comprises causing the oil, or mixture of oil and gas, to impinge' upon a body of such material directly upon its entrance into such high temperature zone, and then causing the resulting gas or vapor to pass through a farther portion of such high-temperature space, thereby, if the temperature in such space be sufficiently high, fixing all or the greater portion of the hydrocarbon compounds present. In such process the air, ifv present, not only serves as acarrier for the oil, but the oxygen of th`e air. combines with the hydrocarbon compounds, producing marked changes in composition. A

In gasifying crude lor. heavy oils, such as referred to, particularly when the gas pro# duced -is to be used in 'a gas engine, 1t is extremely desirable to avoid deposition of tar or carbon or the like in the gasifying apparatus, or in the enginecylinder, since, as 'is well known,` these oarbonaceous deposits if formed clog the gasifying apparatus and are apt to be carried forward into the engine and foul 'the engine cylinder. It

has been found that in the apparatus herein described the deposition of tar, carbon and the like, is not experienced, notwithstanding A that the composition of the hydrocarbon compounds originally present in the oil is greatly changed.

Feeding air in in considerable quantities, with the oil, appears to affect materially the character the gasifyin action taking place, and also to very great y increase the gaslfylng capacityof the apparatus. There appears to be more or less combination ofI oxygen of the air so fed in with the hydrogen of the hydrocarbon compounds of the oil, and also with the carbon, and there appear also to be marked chemicalchanges in the hydrocarbon compounds of the oil, the carbon and hydrogenof the heavy hydrocarbons ap ar- .path of considerable length, such space containing, preferably in it-s initial portion, bodies of material, preferably' of a clayey or silicious nature, with which the oil will contact and which influence the chemical changes taking place in the apparatus hereinafter described, in connection with means for passing oil, and preferably, a mixture of oil and air or other gas, through such space.

The invention also com rises various other features more particu arly described hereinafter and pointed `out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings certain forms of oil gasi'fying apparatus embodying the invention are illustrated. l

In said drawings: Figure 1 shows a cen# tral yertical section of one preferred form of the improved oil gasifying apparatus; Fig. 2 shows a transversesection of the apparatus of Fig. 1 on the line of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a vertical sect-ion of a similar but slightly different alternative form of the apparatus; Fig. 4 shows -a vertical section of a further alternative form of the apparatus; and Fig. 5 shows a vertical section of still another form of the apparatus; Fig. 6 shows, more or less diagrammatically, a plan view of an internal combustion engine with a conshows various expedients for heating air, Iwhich may be employed in the apparatus; Fig. 7 shows a vertical section of a further form of the apparatus 'and Fig. 8 a vertical section of another similar apparatus.

In'the following description, the gas mak-4 Specication of Letters Patent, Patented Aug, 15,. 1911.

. Application filed October 16, 1909. Serial No. 528,043.

ently recombining in the form of lig ter on this head directly upon the entry thereof an air space preferably divided bya horiing apparatus is'referred to, in general, as a converter, the function of the apparatusI being to convert complex and heavy hydrocarbons, such as are contained in hydrocar. bon oils such as mentioned, into a vgas suitable for use in internal combustion engines.

Referring first to Figs'. 1 and v2, the apparatus there shown comprises a vertical cylindery 1 having within it another cylinder 2, thesetwo cylinders inclosing between them zontallpartition 3, into an upper chamber'4 and a lower chamber 5. Within cylinder 2 I is another cylinder 6, inclosing between itself and said cylinderl 2, a jacket space which, in practice, the exhaust. gases of a gas engine, or other suitable heating gases,

vare circulated; such gases customarily enter- .ingat 8 and passing' out at 9. Cylinder 6 does not extend clear to the bottom ofthe apparatus, vthere being between' the bottom 10 of this cylinder 6`and the bottom of the apparatus, a considerable chamber through which the heated gases circulate,

so heating the` lower portion of cylinder 6' this -burner is not in use this port 12 may be closed in any suitable manner.

The interior of cylinder 6 is divided into a plurality of narrow passages, lined on one wall at least withporous material, by means of concentric cylinders 14, 15 and 16, each provided with a covering 17 of material such for example as earthenware, crucible Inaterial, asbestos, etc. IIn Fig. 1 these linings are shown as composed of a series ofzconcentric rings resting one upon another. Cyl'- inder 14 is closed at the top by. a head 18- preferably provided with a covering of material 19 preferably of a nature similar to l that of the coverings 17, yand so located that stitute a zig-zag the oil or mixture ofoil and gas, impinges into the cylinder 6.. Cylinder 16 is closed at the top by a similar head 20, which may be provided with a similar covering 21, and the intermediate cylinder, 15, is provided with another similar' head 22, except that this head has in it a central port 23; and this head-22 may have a covering of material 24 similar to the coverings 19 and 21. In the lower portion of the cylinders 14 and 17l are ports or openings 25. It will be seen thatth'e annular' channels between cylinders 6 and 14, '14 and 15, and 15 and 16, together conor return-bend passage leading to the interior of cylinder 16. An outlet 7 through l have a port 12 into' vpipe 26 extends upwardly through the'bottom 10 of cylinder 6 to near the top of cylwith a cross passage 27, one end of which is connected to the gas delivery pipe 28, while the lower air-chamber 5. chamber, 4, is connected by a passage 30 with'a port 31 opening intocylinder 6, just above the head of cylinder 14. In this passaid valve 32 being grooved; and said pipe 30 is provided with an oil admission duct 33 oil; the whole forming al mixing valve for mixing oi l with the entering air. Valve 32 may be held seated by means of a valve stem nary manner, and which, when .screwed down, 'holds the valve 32 against its seat.

valve 37 arrangedto opengoutwardly so as to permit flow of hot 5, but to prevent back ow of gas, valve may beheld down to its seat by a stem 38. Just above p ort 31 there is provided, .in pipe 30, an auxiliary connection 39, controlled by a valve 40. A relief passage 41 'is provided connecting pipe 30 with the chamber 7 ,l -haust gases pass, and controlled by a-check valve 42 which maybe held to its seat by means of a stem 43. Air `,is admitted to the air heating chambers 4 and.5 through orts 44 and 4 5 respectively. The main cylin er 1 of thev apparatus is surrounded by a jacket 46 which may contain suitable lagging.

The operation of this apparatus' is as follows: Supposing the apparatus to be. already heated, and supposingthat hot exhaust gases of a ,gasv engine, are passing through the gine or to some other mea-'iis for producing the apparatus and for drawing off the gas produced, this suction lifts the -valve 32 somewhat, so drawing heated air from the chamber 4, and, the oil admission valve 35 being open, oil passes through the duct 33 to the groove in the valve plug 32 and there mixes with the entering air, being carried forward through pipev 30 and port 31, and projected against the covering 19 ofcylinder 14, whence the oil or its vapor or gas formed therefrom, passes together with air, downward in the space between cylinders 6 and 14, where combustion begins owing to such space, the gases thence passing through ports 25 an'd up through the space between sage 30 there is a valve 32 adapted to seat\ in a suitable seat formedin said passage,-

36, arranged to screw downward in the ordiheating chamber 7, and that the gas delivery pipe 28 is connected to a gas eninder 16, where it is open; and at its lower 'end this discharge. pipe 26 communicates the other end is connected by a pipe 29 with A The upper air l connecting with an oil supply connection 34; a needle valve 35 re ulating the passage of In the air pipe 29 there is a spring loaded air from air chamber and this through which chamber the ex-v -this relief passage isI suction and so drawing air and oil through v the high temperature already existing in cylinders 14 and 15, through port 23 and down 'through the space between cylinders 15 and 16, and thence up through the inteure to deposit carbon or tar is due to the covering material- 19 on the head of cylinder 14 and the material 17 surrounding said cylinder, which therefore obviously exert a material influence upon the gasificationjof the oil so entering, since as Lhas been found .in actual experience, if these silicious coverings, which as so far used have been both lporous and of low heat conducting capacity,

be omitted, vso that plain, non-porous lron surfaces are exposed to Ycontact with the oil and its vapor, then while the oil is convertedinto gas, yet there is much depositl of tar or carbon or the like.

The velocity of entrance ofthe combustible mixture is of course sufficiently high to prevent combustion in the immediate vicinity of the point of entrance, the portion of the interior of cylinder 6 above porous material 19 and immediately surrounding the point of entrance being a region of 'moderate temperature," which gradually increases toward the periphery of the porous body 19; it being of course evident that if combustion occurred immediately at the point of entrance of the combustible mixture, the influence of the porous material 19 on the entering mixture would be exerted to less extent at least.

The material preferred for the coverings 17, 1921 and 24, is a material similar to that used iny making graphite crucibles (which material is .herein termed crucible material and which is understood to be a mixture of clay, graphite and silicate, present in about the following proportions: graphite (containing fifty per cent. pure carbon) sixty per cent.; clay, thirty per cent., and silicate ten per cent. In making the rings for the lining, this material is formed into shape and is then fired at a high temperature. This crucible material is extremely strong, and has a low coefficient of expansion (and so is not liable-to destruction from changes in temperature) and apparently is not affected even after long periods of use, by the heat of the converter, yorby variations of temperature, or by jar or vibration, or by the air and oil or vapors or gases in the converter. Ordinary clay potteiy -is another good material for the coverings; and so is terra cotta. Asbestos has also been used with success, but it .has'been found that asbestos, after long use, becomes disintegrated and also becomes covered with a layer of what appears to be graphiticcarbon', after the formation of which layer the i f which the covering material used'is asbestos,

the disintegration of the asbestos referred to, is conned practically to the head'of the cylinder 14 vand the upperportion of the covering of the Walls thereof.

Analyses of gas taken from the converter -at differenttimes, have shown varying composition of resulting gas, the differences being probably due to use of different oils, to different proportions of air and oil admitted,vetc. One fairaverage composition is as follows (the analysis being made in the main by the wet absorption method, with a Hempel apparatus) Another analysis taken at a different time showed the following:

Carbon dioxid-- 6.5 ree oxygen 4.7

lluminants 7.8 Carbonmonoxid 2.0 gog Ylde Free 'hydrogen 2.0 Methane 3. Nitrogen 73.7

These analyses indicate a limiting, partial, and highly restricted 'combustion within the converter, accompanied by a great change in the hydrocarbon compounds present in the original oil, the complex compounds of the parafiin group which form the main constituent-s of such oils having disappeared, the combustible components of the gas being all fixed gases.

The Aexhaust of an engine operating on gas made in this converter, is smokeless and practically odorless. One important fea.- ture of this converter is that it forms a very efficient muHier for the engine in connection with which it is used, the exhaust from the engine, as it finally' escapes from the converter, being therefore practically noiseless.

Notable fuel economies have been experienced with this converter, as compared with the use of gasolene in an ordinary carbureter in the same engine. In one case, an engine developing approximately seventy horse power (the engine being one designed for use with gasolene and provided with an efficient carbureter of standard make showed a gasolene consumption, during anv eight hour run, of ninety six gallons of gasolene. The same engine operated under precisely the same load and at the same speed for they same length of time, but operated yon gas made by aconverter suchas l illustrated in Fig. 1, from fuel oil, used only forty gallons of this fuel oil. The calorific value of the fuel oil and `of gasolene not being greatly different, the lower` fuel consumption, when using a heavy oil, is,uny

" converter is not operating above its intended capacity, there is practically nothing in the resulting gas which can be condensed. In other Words, the heavy oil has been converted into a fixed gas. verter is operated much above its proper capacity, that is to say, when the oil is fed t0- it at a rate much greater than its capacity for converting it into a fixed gas, the gasvof necessity contains more or less'condensable hydrocarbon compounds; but even such gas if used immediately in the engine, will voperate in the engine cylinder substantially as well as the fixed gas shown by the above analysis, and with substantially the same fuel economy; probably for the reason that the hydrocarbon compounds existing in the condensable portion of 4the mixture are in the main relatively volatile as compared with the oilfed to the converter, and also because such condensable constitutents are present in the gas, as received in the engine cylinder, in the form of' gas (i. e., evaporated liquid) instead of being prese-nt as a mist, as the vapor of gasolene produced by an ordinary carbureter undoubtedly is. A. true gas undoubtedly burns much more readily and, during the extremely limited 'combustion period provided in a gas engine cylinder, much more completely, than does the vaporous mist produced by an ordinary caibur ter.

As previously explained, in starting up the converter in the first instance, it may be heated up by a flame projected through a .port 12 into the exhaust gas space of the converter; the heat soimparted to the con `verter serving, upon the entrance of the combustible vmixture into thespace between cylinders 6 and 14, to initiate combustion in such space. After the converter has once been operated for a reasonable length of time, the engine can usually be started, even if it has been out of operation Afor a considthe walls of the converter.

When the cony erable time, by. the gasl contained in the con` verter and piping, aided doubtless by evaporation from oil and light hydrocarbons absorbed in the pores of the porous lining of Or, gasolene, alcohol, or other volatile fuel, may be admitted directly -to the conveyer through the valve 40, the porous surfaces of the converter forming v excellent absorption and evaporation surfaces. And, in the same way, the converter may be started initially by admittinggasolene or alcohol through the oil supply duct 33, the heavy oil being admitted as soon as the converter is well heated. Or, the engine may be started on gasolene or like fuel vaporzed in 'an ordinary carbureter attached to the engine, the

exhaust gasestfrom the engine being passed through the converter and the heavy oil being admitted to the converter and the converter started in operation, as .soon as well heated, the'carbureter being then cut off. But this latter procedure is not .in general necessary, or advisablesince it is desirable to do away with the use of the' ordinary carbureter, suchas at present used upon gasolene engines, and thus do awa with the possibility of fire due to back firing of the engine through the carbureter.

y It will be noted that in this converter herein described, back ring from the eng'ine into the converter can do no damage, since the gas in the converter contains a proportion of air. far from suhcient for explosion or complete combustion; and the valves 37 and 32 prevent forcing of flame gases or combustible vgases back through pipes 29 and 30 into the hot air spaces 5 and 4; so that escape of combustible gases from the air ports 44 and 45 is substantially impossible.

By-pass passage 41 permits the relief of any pressure which may exist in the Iconverter as a result of shutting down the engine suddenly while the converter is hot and possibly without cutting off the oil Supply soon enough; for when valve 42 is open, any gas pressure` existing in the converter will be relieved through pipe 41, the gas 'passing Voff into the exhaust space.

mally this valve 42 is kept closed.

By adjusting the permissible degree of opening of valve 32, and similarly by adjusting vthe permissible degree of opening of valve 37 and adjusting the strength of the spring tending to close thelatter valve, any desired balance may be reached between the amount of air drawn in' with the oil through pipe 30 and the amount of air drawn in through pipe 29 and mixed with the gas as the latter issues from the converter; and in this way the amount of air admitted with the oil may be regulated so as to admit such prportion of air (materially less than that su cient for complete combustion) with the isc - may be that required for complete'combussidered desirable,

tion. Obviously, if all the air required for complete combustion were admitted through pipe 30 and valve 32, the action in the converter would probably be very greatly modied and probably much poorer gas would result.

Heretofore 4it has ordinarily been conwhen heated gas is suppliedby a gas producer or blast furnace or the like, to cool the gas before admitting it to the engine cylinder; and indeed, it is substantially impossible to sup-plyto an engine cylinder an amount of 'gas sufiicient for development of full power inthe engine, when that gas is drawn from an ordinary gas producer or blast furnace, urless the gas be first cooled. "It will be noted from the above' analyses, however, that the gas produced by this converteris a rich gas; and it has been found desirable to supply this gas hot to 'the engine cylinder, and alsoto heat the air required for combustion of the gas in the engme cylinder, before mixing such air with the gas;/hence the provision in this converter of the air ,heating space 5 which serves to heat the additional amount of 'air required for complete combustion. It is possible that the hot mixture yof gas and air so supplied to the engine burns more readily than the cold mixture hitherto usually supplied, and that the high fuel economy obtained-as instanced above, is .due in part to the supply qf a hot mix.- ture. It is also probable that the ready combustion obtained and high fuel economy realized when the gas supplied is not all a fixed gas, is due 1n large measure to the supply of a hot mixture to the engine. If desired, a further quantity of hot air may be mixed with the gas byproviding the gas discharge pipe 28 with an air heating passage 47 (Fig. 6) arrangedcin such proximity to the pipe 28 that air'passing through this passage 47 will be heated by the issuing gas. In the construction shown in Fig. 6, this air heating passage passes through the gas discharge pipe and thence is connected to the cross pipe 27. By means of pipe 29, and if necessary, the pipe 47, all the air necessary to be supplied vto the engine may be supplied -hot and at the converter.

While in the converter shown in Fig. V1,'

portion of the gas vpassage inlet port 31 to the escape one wall of each leading from the pipe 2.6 is of metal, unlined, andalthoughthe pipe 26 is of metal unlined, no formal tion of carbon or tar deposits seems to result' from these exposed metal surfaces, so long as the porous coverings 17 and 19 shown are present, although, as stated, if they are removed, formation of tar or carbonaceous deposits is experienced to a great extent.' The influence lof the porous material, whatever it may be, appears to extend completelyv across the gas passages, which, as shown,

are relatively narrow. This influence is affected materially bythe nature or structure of the material used as evidenced by the fact that asbestos, which is a porous nonmetallic silicious material, has a lsomewhat as a means for breaking'down the complex hydrocarbon compounds and producing recombination of their constituents in the form of simpler hydrocarbon compounds. Nevertheless the converter operatedv at such low temperatures, delivers to the engine a vapor or gas distinctly different from that delivered by an ordinary carbureter; which gas or vapor from the converter when operated at low densable entirely, or 1n the main, i,s avery excellent fuel for gas engines, and may be used therein with high fuel economy.-

Both walls of the gas passages ofthe converter may be of material such as before referred to.- This is illustrated in Fig'. 3,

showing a converter similar in construction to that shown in Fig. 1, except that in this c ase ther intermediate cylinders v14 and 15 are omitted and the inner surfaces of cylinder 6 and cylinder 16 have linings 17 of Crucible material or other material such as hereinbefore referred to. The gas passage temperatures, though con-- asbestos.

los

provided in this construction of Fig. 3, is

considerably shorter than that provided in Fig. 1, for equal dimensions, but since both sides Aof the gas passage are lined with porous material, a shorter passage isl permissible for this reason: The construction shown in Fig. 3 has the further advantage that, the gas passage being more direct, the

-gas ypasses lmore freely through the converter and with less. suction load on the engine.

The exhaust pipe of the engine may also be used as a means for heating the air supplied to the converter. This is illustrated in Fig. 6, in which 49 indicates the engine,

-150 the exhaust pipe thereof, 51 a jacket surrounding the exhaust pipe, and 52 the converter. In the said jacket I have provided a spiral 53 to somewhat retard the passage of air through the jacket so as to prolong the period of its contactwith the exhaust Pipe In` Fig. 4 a form of converter is illustrated-v I which is similar to that shown in Fig. 3 exf shown in Fig. 4 further differs from thatwhat so as to provide a the ai-rfchamb'er 5, so

t shown in which above cept that the covering of the head of the cylinder 16, which covering, in\ this figure designated by reference numeral 54, is conical, and is located somewhat lower-with respect to the top o f the converter, covering 20y of Fig. 3, so providing a larger chamber'in the upper portion of the converter for expansion of gases and .vapors as they become heated.A in the upper portion of this converter. Also in Fig. 4 the linings 17 do not extend as far down 'as in Fig. 3, as it has been found. that the converter is ca of very eficientl action so long as su cient surface area of contact materials (such for example as crucible material, earthenware, asbestos; etc.) are provided-in the earlier portions off the. apparatus. The converter shown in Fig. 3 in that a distributing chamber 55 surroundsrthe air inlet ports 45 of that air may be supplied to these ports and chamber 5 from some other suitable source, for example,a such as the air heater 51 shown in Fig. 6 and hereafter referred to.

In Fig. 5 another form of converter is thehead of the inner cylinder 16, there are hollow conical contact bodies 56, 57 and 58, over which the entering jet of oil, or oil and air, will pass ;4 these contact bodies being kformed of contact ma terialsuch as hereinbefore yreferred to -(such for example as crucible material,

earthenware, terra cotta, asbestos, etc.).

these contact bodies 56, 57 and 58, 56 and 57 are shown as being hollow truncated cones open atthe top and bottom, cone 57 being nested within cone 56, but `with considerable space between the outer surface of cone 57 land the inner surface of cone 56. Cone 58 is' shown closed at the top but open at the bottom. Cylinder 15in this form of device has a truncated conical top portion 59, open at the top, and extending upward somewhat into th interior of cone 58. In the operation 'of this form of converter, the entering stream of oil or mixed oil and air, passes over the inner and outer, surfaces of cones 56 and 57, and over the outer surface of cone 58 into the space between cylinders 6 and 14, and thence passes downward, through the ports 25, and up between cylinders 14 and 15, and thence downward through the space 4between cylinders 15 and 16, inally passing up through the interior of'cylinder -16 and thence out through the pipe 26. x v In Fig. 7 I illustrate an alternative form' .of converter,

adapted more especially for smaller sizes. In this ligure 60 designates the main casing ofthe converter provided with an exhaustin-let, 61 designates a pot within casing 60 but spaced apart therefrom somepass'age for the exl for the converter.

ablegas discharge viouslycauses the entering jet of mixed oil haust gases 62 designates another pot, which, inthe construction shown, may be formed of the crucible material previously described, and fits withinV pot '61; 63 designates another pot within pot 62 and of similar material, while 64 designates an inter-v 65 designates the gas discharge pipe`and 66 a cover 67 `designates an air and oil admission pipe through which a mixture ofI air and oil, such`as produced 'by the mixing valve32 'ofFig 1', is admitted to the interior of the converter and Acaused to circulate through the zigzag passage to the gas discharge pipe 65,. Within the casing of 'this converter a spiral rib 68 is provided which prolongs the path of the A gases through the apparatus' so that full heating eect therefrom isy obtained. The main casing of the converter is surrounded by a jacket ing an air heating chamber into which air exhaust 69, the included space 7 0 forml may be introduced through a pipe 71 to be withdrawn, Nvhen heated, through pipe 72, and thereafter mixedwith the gas produced by the apparatus. l

' In Fig. 8 I illustrate a similar alternative apparatus in which, instead of using pots-of crucible material, earthenware, or the like, I use pots formed of metal covered over with asbestos or other suitable material 73 held in place by wire mesh material 74. In general, however, the use of asbestos is not preferred, except as it maybe desired for temporary use, since, as above stated, it has been found that asbestos is apt to be covered in time with a deposit of graphitic carbon pr the like.'

Without limiting myself to any particular theory as tothe operations which take place in the 'converter herein illustrated and described, I will state the following theory, based upon numerous -temperature and observations *asv to other conditions in the converters, and upon numerous analyses ofthe gas: The oil, as it enters the converter, is

probably in a state of nephysicalsubdivision and aerial suspension, i, e., it is in a form of a sort o f mist. It will be noted that since the 'air in which this oil is so suspended, has been heated by passing through the air chamber 4 of the converter before it encounters the oil, this hot air necessarily raises the temperature of the loil, so making it quite fluid and so facilitating its subdivision into a mistv small drops in aerial suspension.

tions of the oil admission passage, removing the bonnet of the valve 32, while thelconverter is in operation, has made lpractically7 certain that the oil exists in this passagein the. form of a mist. The mixture of oil and air, drawn into the converter through the port 31 by thellsuction of the engine, ob-

Observav able to space just below the head 18 of cylinder 14.

This covering material 19, as well as the covering material 17 of the various cylinders, has two notable physical properties which may affect the character of the reactions taking place within the converter. These physical properties are, first, porosity and consequent ability to absorb oil by capillarity, and, second, a relatively low rate of heat conduction and transmission, as com-` pared with iron and other metal Walls v heated to a similar temperature. Owing to the high temperatur-cof coverings 19 and 17, their pores are presumably much more open than at ordinary atmospheric temperatures, and hence for this reason they are absorb more oil than they would be able to at ordinary atmospheric temperatures. On the other hand, owing to the high temperature. ot these porous substances, it is obvious that any oil absorbed in the pores of these substances will be volatilized or gasiied immediately.

It is pointed out in my 4Patent No. 920,903

issued May 11, 1909, wherein oil is passed through the pores of a porous clayey septum from one side thereofto the other, that such porous materials have a very important influence on gasification of oil taking place within their pores. It is clear that oil penetrating the pores of the`material-19, and thence escaping, owing to the high temperature of such material, will either be perfectly volatilized, or, and more probably, will be converted in large measure at least into a gas in which the hydrocarbon .compounds are simpler than the complex hydrocarbon compounds forming the principal constituents of the entering' oil. The relatively low rate of heat conductivity or transmission of the material 19, must it would seem have a further important intiuence on the changes taking place in the oil, particularly in those portions ot the oil, if any, which do not penetrate the pores of the porous material but travel along orabove the surface thereof. VIt is probable that-the cr cking of hydrocarbon oils when contacted ith highly heated metal surfaces, is due in large measure at least to the resulting extremely rapid heating of the oil upon contact with such highly heated metal surfaces, owing to the high rate of heat transmission of which such metal surfaces are capable. But since the material 19 is incapable of transmitting heat rapidly, the effect of the passage of oil in fine drops or mist, over or just above the surface of that material, is probably to volatilize thatv oil more gradually than would bethe case if such oil mist were passed over y tions accompanying the similarly heated -metal surfaces, and that such gradual heating and volatilization obviates the cracking of the' hydrocarbon com'- pounds in such manner as to deposit taror carbon, permitting and causin instead a different splitting up of the ydrocarbon compounds'i'n sucn manner that the carbon l -,is retained in combination.

It. is well'known that numerous chemical actions which are possible when dealing with .masses of extreme minuteness, arev not possible under ,conditions which are similar, except that the masses under treatmentare greater. It seems probable that the reacsplitting up of complex hydrocarbon compounds, such as present in oils, into'simpler compounds, are of this nature; that when the o`i1 isl highly and suddenlyheated in masses of even the size of small drops, .it cracks with deposition of tar and carbon; but that when heated in the individually still more min'ute masses, such as those which can exist within the pores of the porous material, or when heated in the form of gaseous Vapor produced by the volatilization of minute drops (such as the drops of the oil mist) Athe splitting up ofthe hydrocarbon molecules takes place differently and in such manner that no carbon or the like is thrown down. The air entering with the oil unquestionably exerts a marked infiuence upon the action which takes place, irst, because, under the intiuence.

of the temperature obtaining inthe cone verter, lpartial combustion` is set up, and

because if any carbon is thrown-out as a .result of changing composition of the hydrocarbon molecules, this carbon, being thrown out inv a state of practically molecular subdivision, and in aerial suspension, probably combines immediately with' the oxygen of the air present and intintimatemixture with the'gas and vapor, producing either carbon monoxid or carbon dioxid. The hydrocarbon compounds present in the vapor orvgas just above the porous material v19, obviously exist in a condition of almost molecular subdivision and in extremely thorough mixture with air, and the hydrocarbon compounds present in the pores of the material 19 and undergoing volatilization or gasification therein, must exist in an equal state of subdivision, or nearly so; consequently it is natural to expect that the changes in composition of these hydrocarbon compounds acted upon bythe heat and air in individual quantities of extreme minuteness, willl be of a diiferent nature from that which occurs when oil in -much larger masses contacts with metal surfaceshighly heated.

The combustion occurring within the converter is incomplete yand is in the nature of a partial and highly restricted oxidation, accompaniedv by they breaking down of th`e also probably,

30 oil vapor and gas, in passing l35 contact material, so

' 50 very rapidly succeeding complex molecules -of heavier hydrocarbons vpresent in the oil, and the Aformation of lnew lighter'hydrocarbon compounds. The hydrocarbon compounds present originally in the 4`5 oil yare understood to be 'inthe main com7 Y -pounds of.- the parain' or marsh gas series, in solution in one another,

erally accepted theories of the combustion of such compounds, it is believed that this i breaking down of the molecules of 'these compounds'is accompanied by the combination of more or less of hydrogen of these compounds with the oxygen of the air, and, eventually with the combination of oxygen i5 with part ofthe carbon. It is believed that the paraflin .group molecules in changing composition, pass through a number of stages' in which carbon' and ,hydrogen are `combined, with the hydrogen 'present in less'y 2o proportion-than 'in the parain group compounds. For example, upon opening .the converter after it has remained idle for a time, an odor of ether has been noted, indicating the formation named within the con.V

verter of compounds of the' ethylene group,

which, during the period verter, have been oxidized into ether and .similar compounds.

The oil vapor o r gas or ixture of both down through the space between cylinders 6 and 14 (Fig.

1) and over the crous material 17 in that space, is obvious y given opportunity for very thorough contact with that porous favoring considerable entry of oil `vapor into the pores of the ma# terial 17, particularly in the upper portion of ytheI space between cylinders 6 and 14, and the consequent giving out of gas from such 40 material.

vapors' 'passing downward through suc space with the porous trationinto the pores of such material by such gas or vapor, is probably aided through the fact that an engine drawing gas from the converter, necessarily draws the gas intermittently;` and while a high speed four cylinder or six cylinder enginey wil-l o course draw the gas from the converter in waves, nevertheless the pulsatory action islstill present in the converter, sion in the converter due to4 volatilization and gasilicatio'n of the oil and'due also-to 5.5 the increase in temperature,` will cause a rapid building up of pressure in the converter during the brief intervals between strokes of the engine when no gas is being taken; the eect of oscillations in pressure being the vapors and gases into the to drive ores of the porous material and then to draw them out therefrom. I The appearance of porous material in the converter, after long use, indicates that the action within the pores of thatvmaterial is mainly the From the genof rest of the conthe converter, directly Iin actual operation,

Intimate contact of the gases and material, and pene? -inder 14, at which the more so as the active expan upper.v portion of the ,materiah in the space between cylinders 6 and 14. In fact, it is believed-t at in a sense, the initial portion 'of the converter serves mainly for volatilization of the oil and for initial gas formation, and that the later portionsof the passage' through pors travel, serve mainly as a lfixing space.

The temperatures within the converter and at a point well beyond where the oil and air enter, have been found to ,approximate 1400.0, Fahrenheit-T varyingV from tures have been indicated at about the head of the cylinder 15, bythe fusion of Sagger cones.l of a melting temperature of about 1400o Fahrenheit, placed upon the head of that. cylinder. porous head 19, of cylinder 14,'near the outer edgen of said. cylinder, has been found, in a similar manner, Fahrenheit. perature in the space just above thishead 19 and particularly near the inlet port 31, is somewhat less, owing tothe great absorption of heat-.at this point as latent heat, and also to K shown by Sagger cones resting upon the porous material 19, will naturally be Vhigher than the temperature just above this material, since said material has a low rate of heat transmission andv since it is heated in large measure 'b v heat derived from the much hotter space beneath'the head 1S and above the head of cylinder 15. The top of above the head of cylinder 14, shows this also indicating that the temperat-ure in the space just below the top. of the, converter is somewhat less than Fahrenheit. initiated near the edge of the head of cylpoint volatilization of the oil will have been substantially completed and much of the gas formation will presumabl have occurred, the resulting vaors and gases being in al better condition or combustion thannearer theport 31,' 'for these reasons,

and also because they have been'somewhat attenuated by expansion and have'also been raised in temperature. porous covering of the cylinder-14 probably exerts a material influence on lthe combustion' occurring in the space between cylinders 14 and 6, favoring prolonged partial combustion through a space vthan the maximum temperature obtaining to be about 12000' It is probable that the tem- Combustion is probably4 The iwhich the gases and va- 130Go 'Fahrenheit upward. Such tempera The temperature of the the fact that the temperature 'l ioo no evidences of redness iio 12C of considerable ,i length, by what is termed l wallaction;

rf.; cylinders 15 and 16 are hot exhaust gases or the like circulating through the jacket 7; the temperature of the gas issuing from the converter being usually about 2000 hotter than the gases in the jacket 7. It appears 4therefore that after the converter hasbeen well heated by the gases passing through the jacket 7, and.

by initial combustion within the converter, the reactions occurring within the apparatus are self-sustaining and that the exhaust gases circulating through the jacket- 7, act

Vmainly to limit radiation of heatfrom the interior of the converter, by maintaining a relatively low heat head between the two sides of cylinder 6. It is not necessary to maintain circulation ,of heated gases through the jacket 7 cont-inuously, but in the form of converter shown in Fig. 1 it is found that if the circulation of such gases through the jacket 7 be discontinued for any great length of time, the gasifying capacity of the converter Will fall as it gradually cools. In the converter shown in Fig. 3, wherein the inne-r surface of the cylinder 6 is lined with material of low heat conductivity, it is probably possible to operate the converter for along period of time, once it has been sufficiently heated, without the .circulation of gases through'thejacket 7.

It is found that the temperatures within the converter vary somewhat from time to time for various reasons, as for example, varying rates of supply of oil and air, both relative and absolute. It is probable, however, that the maximum temperature within' the converter does not usually exceed 1600O Fahrenheit and that it is not desirable to exceed this temperature, since, while that temperature could be exceeded by supplying a greater proportion of air, the combustion would then be more complete and the resulting gas would be leaner and therefore less suitable for use in an engine. It

has been found that the proportion of car` bon dioxid in the gas varies somewhat with the relative amount of porous surface exposed; that in the converter shown in Fig. 1 for example, if the porous linings of cylinders 15 and 16 be removed, leaving exposed metal surfaces for contact withthe gases, the converter still works without deposition of tar or carbon, and the engine operated from the Vconverter works as efficiently and without smoke at the'exhaust, and that the gas then issuing from the producer contains a somewhat smaller percentage of carbon dioxid than when the porous coverings of in use. It has been found for. example, that, whenthe porous coverings of cylinders 15 and 16 are omitted,

the proportion of the carbon dioxid in the gas fallsto as loW as one per cent. or less.

In some cases an additional" air inlet 7 5 is provided in the gas supply pipe 28, close to the point at which the gas is to be used. In practice this pipe 7 5 is usually connected to the crank case of the engine, so that it draws off from the crank case the oil-charged air which, if allowed to escape from the variousv openings of the crank case, produces the oily odor commonly noted around gas engines.

In Fig. 1 the`width of the passages between cylinders 6 and 14, 14. and 15, and 15 and 16, has been somewhat exaggerated for `clearness of illustration. In one converter actually constructed, the height of cylinder 0 was about twenty six inches, and the .width of the passage between the inner wall of cylinder 6 and the porous material covcring cylinder 14 was about one quarter of an inch. Experience has shown that. the

passage can be somewhat wider than one quarter of an inch without detriment and with some advantages-and the corresponding passages of the converter shown in Figs.

3, 4 and 5 are ,for that reason shown somewhat wider 1n proportion.

Instating 1n thisspecification, that4 the l converter operates without deposition of tar or carbon, I do not mean to exclude the formation of traces of such deposits when starting up, and, therefore, when conditions in the converter are not normal. Occasionally a slight deposit of carbon is noted on the head ofcylinder 14, just beneath the port 31, the physical condition of this deposit indicating that it was formed when starting up and before conditions in the converter .had become normal'. This deposit, however, is never large enough to interfere .with the operation of the converter, and does notfincrease with prolonged operation of the converter.

The converter in the various forms shown herein, is ofcourse, suitable "for use for supplying gas for purposes other than operating gas engines, and I have illust-rated and described its use in connection with'the gas engine, in this speciication, merely because the gas engine is at once an important means for utilizing gas so produced, and an effective means for supplyingy hot gases for circulation through the jacket 7.

As above stated, when starting up the converter and engine, itmay in general be started'by gas stored Within the converter from previous operations, and 'gas given ofl" from the porous material as soon as the suction of the engine begins, the oil admitted to the converter When so first starting-up, being probably converted, at first, to a vapor only. Combustion initiates `within the automatically and very soon after the converter starts int-o operation, and then the temperature in the gas spaces of the conissuing from the converter rises somew at OundS ln Which Carbon and hydrogen exist i slowly. This in an indication that-.the re- 11'1 COIIlbIl'at'lOn With Oxygen. The treatment actions required t0 convert, the Oil into a of. other liquid carbonaceous materials in 70 vapor or gas 'Suitable for use in thek engine, this converter, for the formation of gas, I take place in the main in the earlier portions therofOre regard 2S Wilthlll .my lllVeIltlOIlof the converter, and thatthe actions which If for any reason 1t 1s preferred tohave ,take yplace in the later portion of the Gonthe apparatus herein described operatewithi verter during normal operation are in the out the aotlon Wlthln the/'pores of the Po" 75 nature of fixing reactions, due to the high rolls matellal Sioh 3S materlal 17 and 19 temperature of such portions of the conthese loodles 17a 19 ete-a moy he Provi-ded verter. The automatic initiation of combustZlth a Surface glaze: ln Whloh ca se the a0.- tion in the converter appers to be probamy tion of these bodies on the fuel will be that in the nature of a hi hly accelerated sponof gradual heatllg dile t0A the 10W heat 00n- Bo `taneous combustion o the oil. dntlvlty O f the materlal.

That in lthe converters illustrated and tn oertoln of the following olohhsil have described herein, some action in the nature oPPlled to the Several SPooeS Whloh Ineke 1P if a disintegration of the hydrocarbon comthe return bend Passage of the Converter pounds of the oil and gas takes place within that 1S to Soy, tor example, the Spaces he' 85 the pores of the porous material, and well tween oyhndere o ond le, oyhhdereilt ttnd i back from the Contact surface. of such mate- 15 and, eyllnders, lo ond lo also oyllnder lo nai, is evidenced by the fact that the rings and dlshafge P113@ 2G, the termfu11s",f0r 17 covering the cylinder 14:, if formed of fire look ot any other Soltohle ,term tor Sooh Por* clay or the like, show, if broken after long tlons ot the return bend Passage use,a trace of carbonaceous deposit withinthe tn Stotlhg 1n, oertalh 'ot the tollowlng i pores of the material, but at a point well ololnls that the lhltlel oontaot hotly (for o X" back from the surface. Such deposit is a ample: the t)ody 19a ln Flg l) 1S located 111 mere trace, being only a slight blackening of odyenoe of the COmblStlOn Zone I mean that the material, and is not sufiicient to prevent lt 1S s o loooted. that the eltttfrlhtl Stroom ot '95 the use of the material for extended periods material encounters such initial Contact body without removal thereof.. The fact that this before Posslhg through the eolnhuetlon Zoneblackening is found -to exist in the pores of that I ClalmlSl-I 4 I rings 17 located far below the top of cylin-` t l' The hetelh desorlhed method or mttlnng der 14, and at points where all of the liquid gos trono hydrooorhon olle and other llqnld oil must have been converted into gas, indioerhohttoeous Inoterlelsa Whleh eorhPrlSeS cates that even at these points the reduction Proledtlng ogolnet o heated ,lo-ody of PorolS of the hydrocarbon compounds to .the final nl eterlttl the lltltlld to he gt-Sltled, ln tt lnely form contained in the issuing gag is incom. l divided condition before said liquid has plete; that is to say, that all thestages of 'reeohed o hlgh temperature, and Poeelng the '105 transformation have not been passed reetlltlng, p rodnota mlngled Wlth .2111', to a through. In other words, the reduction of reglon ot hlgh temperature: Whereln Partlttl these hydrocarbon compounds is a somewhat eorhhtlstlon oeellrs ln the PrSnCe- 0f POIOUS 510W process requiring time for its' complematerial, and collectingand carrying oft vthe tion. This blackening is also evidence'that resllltlnggas- Y 11o the gases themselvesy enetrate the poresv of 2 The hereln desorlhed method or lhtthlng ,the porous material As the form of the gos rom hydrooorhon olle and other llqlnd passages is such as to produce considerable Carhonttous materlalsi Whloh eoInPrlSeS swirling of the gases and vapors therein, and PIOJGCtlIIg agelnet a heated body of porous as the intermittent withdrawal' of gas from nl @telll the llqllld t0 be gaSlfled, n a nely 115 the converter willl also tend to produce swirldlvlded condition, befOIesaid liquid has ing, it is probable that the contact of the reached a high temperature, and passing the porous material with the gases and vapors resulting product, mingled with. air, to a is very intimate; that practically all p0r- 'region of higher temperature, wherein partions of the gas, at one time or another, are tial combustion occurs, in the presence of 12 brought into thorough contact withthe'poporous material, and collecting .and carryrous material. The reduced proportion of ing off the resulting gas, the mixture being carbon dioxid 'in the gas from the converter passed from the vicinity of its initial conof Fig. 1, when the porous coverings of cyltact with such porous material, to the said .inders 15 and 16 are omitted, shows that kthis higher temperature region, at such velocity 12| porous material' has some speciiic influence that combustionl initiates beyond the imupon the` combustion occurring in the commediate vicinity of the point of admission. bustion spacean influence in the nature of 3. The herein described method of making what is termed wall action. `gas from hydrocarbon-oils and other liquid pounds besides the verter probably rises very rapidly,l although gasiied in this apparatus, lfor example, com7 it isfound that the temperature of the as Obviously other liquid carbonaceous comhydrocarbon oils may be carbonaceous materials, which consists in 13 and carrying aWay the result-ing maintaining a high-temperature zone and projecting an intimate mixture. of air and the liquidto be gasifie'd vinto said zone and against an extended imperforate heated porous body Within said zone and so causing the liquid to be absorbed in the pores of such body and then to be given up therefrom as a gas or vapor, and causing the resulting gases and vapors to pass through a further portion of said zone, and along the surface of porous material therein, land collecting 4. The herein described methdgd of making gas from hydrocarbon oils and other liquidfcarbonaceous materials, which consists in maintaining incomplete combustion of the material to be gasiied in a high-temperature zone in thepresence of air insuliicient in amount for complete combustion,-

supplying material for gas-formation to said zone by passing an intimate mixture of air and the liquid to be gasified, the latter in the form of minute separate drops,

before'said liquid has reached a high temperature, in heating proximity to an extended highly-heated surface of material having'a low rate of heat transmission and causing the resulting product to pass into the region of combustion, at a rate'such that combustion initiates beyond the immediate vicinity of the point of admission, and coln passing the liquidl to be gasified in a heating lecting and carrying 0E the resulting gas.

5. The herein described method of making gas from hydrocarbon oils and other liquid carbonaceous materials, Which consists in maintaining incomplete combustion of the material to be gasiied in a high temperature zone in the presence of air insufficient in amount" for complet-e combustion, supplying material for gas format-ion to said Zone by proximity to an extended highly heated surace of a body of material having a loW rate Hof heat transmission and causing the resulting product to pass into the region of combustion, and passingthe heated gases of such zone of combustion into heating proximity to the said body and thereby maintaining the heat thereof.

6. The herein described'method of .making gas from hydrocarbon oils and other liquid carbonaceous materials, which consists in passing liquid to be gasiied, mixed With air,

against a hot surface of porous material and passing the resulting product through a high temperature region and therein maintaining incomplete combustion, and passing .the heated gases of such combustion into heating proximlt-y to an .opposite surface of saidporous material and thereby maintaining the heat thereof. i l

7. The herein described method of making gas fromhydrocarbon oils, Withoutmaterial deposition of tar, carbonaor the like, Which consists in maintaining a hot zone having immediately bringing it into heating proximity to a heated body of porous material, and then passing the resulting product i mingled with' air, to the hotter portion of said hot zone.

an initial low temperature portion, admit- .tmg oil to such 10W temperature portion and 8. The herein described method of making i gas from hydrocarbon oils, Without material deposition of tar, carbon or the like, which consists in maintaining a hot zone :having an initial low-temperature portion, admitting oil to such low-temperature portion and immediately bringing it in to heatying proximity to a heated body of silicious material,A and then passing the resulting product mingled with air, to the hotter portion of said hot zone.

9. The herein described method of making gas from hydrocarbon oils, Without material deposition'of tar, carbon or the like, which consists in maintainingv a `hot zone having lan initial low-temperature portion, admitting oil -to such low-.temperature portion and immediately bringing it into heating proximity to a heated body ofclayey material, and then passing the resulting product mingled With air, to the hotter portion of`said hot zone. v

l0. The herein described method of making gas from hydrocarbon oils and other liquid carbonaceous materials, Which-consists -in maintaining a high temperature zone having an initial low temperature portionv and containing porous material, heating air and mingling such liquid carbonaceous material therewith and thereby forming a mixture consisting substantially entirely of air and carbonaceous material, and introducing such mixture into the low temperature portion of said high .temperature zone and against porous material therein and producing incomplete combustion in said zone in the presence of porous material.

11. The herein described method ,of making gas from hydrocarbon oils and other liquid carbonaceous materials, Witho-utmaterial deposition of tar, carbon or the like, which comprises passing the liquid to be gasied in a finely divided condition, and mingled With air insufficient to produce complete combustion, through a narrow channel having a heated Wall of porous material, as a shall-ow stream passing over said Wall, While maintaining said passage at a temperature sufficient to initiate and maintix ' such passages at from hydrocarbon oils,

gaia-din d ant-.1y divided don imparted from an entering said inclosure, means liie, and mixed with air insufficient in quantity for complete combustion, through a plurality of successive passages arranged 1n heating proximity to oneA another and-separated from one another by heating material of4 low heat conductivity, vWhile maintaining a temperature suiiicient to initiate and maintain combustion,

external source, and\ therebyeffecting partial combustion of such\ carbonaceous material.

l13.` The process of manufacturing gas which consists in passing a mixture of' oil and air in the form of a vapor, into a moderately heated chamber and against and then over an extended surfacel of a heated body of porous material therein, and then passing the resulting product, at a ratesuch that combustion does not initiate in thel immediate vicinity of the point of introduction into saidchamber, into a lengthy passage lined on at least one side With porous material, and therein effecting partial combustion and by transference of heat from such combustion'maintaining the temperature of the porous material With which` the entering material initially contacts.

14. The herein described method of making gas from hydrocarbon oils and 'other liquid carbonaceous materials, which consists in passing finely divided oil against a surface of a porous body heated to above 800o Fahrenheit. and thereby causing the absorption of suchy oil into the pores of such porous material, and the generation o gas therein and escape of such gas from the same side of such porous mater1al, at Which the oil entered.

15. Gas producingapparatus comprising an inclosure having Within it a combustion zone adapted to be maintained at a high temperature by partial combustion Within it and provided With means for projecting into such zone air and combustible liquid to be gasified, and further provided in advance of such high .temperature zone with a body of porous material having an ex-c tended vsurface across the path of theliquid for producin in said zone initially a temperature sufficient to initiate combustion therein, and means for carrying away the gas produced.

16. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure having Within it a combustion zone adapted to be maintained at a high' temperature by partial combustion Within it and provided with means for mingling 'ing the mixture into air and combustible liquid and for projectsaid zone, and further provided in advance of such high temperature zone, With a body of porous material having an extended surface across the path of the mixture so entering said inclosure,

by heat ing the mixture into said zone,

means for producing in said zone initially a temperature suiclent to initiate combustion therein, and means for the gas produced.

17. Gas producing ap an inclosure having wit zone adapted to temperature by partial combustion Within-1t and provided with means for projecting. into such' zone combustible liquid to be gasied, and further provided 1n advance of such hi h temperature zone, with a body of materia of low heat conductivity having an extended surface across the path of the mixture so entering said inclosure and arranged to be heated by combustion within the inclosure, and means for producing in said zone initially a temperature sufliclent to initiate combustion therein.

18. Gas producing apparatus com rising an inclosure having Within it a com ustion zone adapted to be maintained at a high temperature by ,partial combustion Within it and provided with -means for mingling air and combustible liquid .and for projectand further provided in advance of such high temperature zone, Witha lbody of material of low aratus com rising in it a com ustlon face across the path of the mixture so entering said inclosure and -arranged to be heated by combustion within the'inclosure,

and means'for producing in said zone 1mtially a temperature suliicient to initiate combustion therein.

19. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure having within it a combustion zone adapted to be maintained at a high temperature by partial combustion Within it, and having in it an extensive surface of 'porousmateriah and provided with means for .projecting into such zone combustible liquid to be gasified, and further Vprovided inl said inclosure andl in high temperature zone with a body of porous material having an extended surface across the path of the liquid so Aentering said inclosure, means for producing in sai zone initially a temperature sufficient to initiate combustion therein, and. means for carrying away the gas produced.

20. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure having Within it a combustion zone containing porous'material and adapted to be maintained at a high temperature carrying away be maintained at a high l heat conductivity having an extended surl advance of such by partial combustion vvithin it and-proj'l vided with means for mingling air and combustible liquid and for projecting the mixture into said zone, and further provided in advance of such high temperature zo'ne with a body of porous material having an extended surface across the path of the mixture so entering said inclosure, means for producing at initial points in said zone a temperature suicient to initiate combustion therein, and'means for heating the air to be mixed with said liquid, prior to contact therewith. l v

21. Gas producing apparatus ycom rising an inclosure having within it a com ustion zone adapted to be maintained at a high temperature by partial combustion within it and adapted for 1s-formation and provided with means or supplying liquid to be gasified and air to said zone and with a body of porous material within said inclosurefand in advance of such high temperature zone, adapted to be heated and having an extended surface -ada ted to contact with the material to be gasi ed upon introduction, said apparatus further comprising a passage in eating relation tosaid inclovsure and adapted for the circulation through it of heating medium.

22. Gas producin apparatus comprising an inclosure ada te for combustion Within it and provid with means for supplying combustible liquid and air, and a body of porous material Within said inclosure having an extended surface adapted for contact `With the liquid and ases passing therethrough, a portion of/sald porous material bein across the path of the entering liquid, sai body substantiall separating a zone of high temperature Wit in said inclosure from that portion into which the combustible first enters, said apparatus jfurther comprising a passage in heating relation to said inclosure and adapted for circulation through it of heating medium.

23. Gas producin apparatus comprising an inclosure adapted for combustion Within it and provided with means for supplying` combustible liquid and air, and a body of material of low heat conductivity Within said inclosure having an extended surface adapted for contact With the liquid and gases passin therethrough, a portion of said materia Within said inclosure being across the path ofthe entering liquid, said body substantially separatinga zone of high temperature Within said inclosure from that portion into which the combustible first enters, said apparatus further comprising a passage in heating relation to said inclosure and adapted for circulation through it of heating medium. n

24:. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure. having Within it a gas-forming passage containing orous material, means for supplying to sald passage a gas forming mixture consisting of a mixture of combustible liquid and air, a body of porous material located across-the path of the combustible mixture so supplied and adapted for contact therewith directly after entrance thereof to said passage, and means deriving heat from an external source for heating said inclosure initially to a temper- 'in heat-transmitting proximity to' one another but separated by material of low heat conductivlty, and means for supplying liquid combustible and air to said inclosure and for projecting the entering mixture against a portion of said material, and means for initiating incomplete combustion of the mixture in an initial portion of said passage and continuing combustion through a considerable portion of said passage.

26. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure having Withln it a gas-formin passage comprising two portions arrange or successive iiow of gas through them and in heattransmitting proximity to one another but separated by porous material adapted to contact with the combustible passing through the first portionV of said pas- 'sageand to impart to such combustible heat received from the second portion of said passage, and means for su plying liquid combustible and air to said inclosure and for projecting the entering liquid against a portionwof said material, and means-for initiating incomplete combustion of the combustible in an initial portion of said passage and continuing combustion through a considerable portion of said passage.

27. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure having Within it a return-bend gaspassage, the several runs of which are' arran ed one Within another and in heat trans erring relation to one another, a body of porous material Within the first of said runs, and means for supplying air to said passage and for directing combustible liquid against said' porous material,.and means for initiating and maintaining incomplete combustion thereof along said passage. A

28. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure .having Within it a return-bend gas passage, the several runs of Which are arranged one Within another *and in heat transferring relation to one another, a body of material of low heat conducting capacity Within the first of said runs, and arranged to be heated by gasin another run, means for supplying air to said passage and for directing combustible liquid against an extended I surface of said body, and means for initiating and maintaining incomplete combustion ofl the-combustible along said passage.

29. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure having `Within it a return-'bend gas passage, the several runs of Which are arranged one Within another and in heat transferring relation to one another, abody of material of low -heat conducting capacity Within the first of said runs, and'arranged to be heated by gas in another run,`nie`ans for introducing a limited amount of air'and 'a heating passage e and a heating passage in culation through for directing combustible liquid in heating proximity against an extended surface of said body, means for initiating andmaintaining incomplete combustion of the combustible along said passage, and a-body of porous material within the combustion zone of said passage. .4

30. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure passage, a body initial portion. of said passage, means for directing. combustible liquid thereagainst and for supplying air to said passage, and in heating relation tosaid e and adapted for the cirit of a heating medium.

31. Gasproducing apparatus comprising an inclosure having within it a return bend passage, a body of porous material in the initial portion of said passage, means for directing combustible liquid thgereagainst, heating relation to return bend passa said return bend passage and adapted for the circulation through bend passage,

it of a heating medium', and an air heating chamberin heating relation to said heating passage, and means for minglin air heated in such chamber with the liqui combustible.

32. Gras producin apparatus comprising a plurality of cylin ers one within another Jforming a return bend gas passage, one of said cylinders, forming a wall of the initial portion of said passage, having a surface `of porousmaterial, means for passing air and liquid to be gasified against and over .said porous material, and means for heating said cylinders.

33. Gas producing apparatus comprising a plurality of cylinders one within another formin a return bend gas passage, one of said cy inders, portion of said passage, having a head surface of porous material, and means for passing liquid to be gasified into contact with and over said porous head surface and for maintaining incomplete combustion of such liquid in said passage, t-lie combustion zone of said passage beyond said head surface comprising other porous material.

34. Apparatus for makingugas from hydrocarbon oils which 'comprises a 'return one run of which 'is located l within another run thereof, said passage containing porous material, means for producin entire y'ofair and oil and for admitting such mixture to said passage, and'means for supplying sufficient heat from an external source to initiate and maintain partial combustion in the presence 4of such porous material. l

35. Apparatus for making gas from hydrocarbon oils -which comprises a return bend passage, one run' of which is within :another run thereof, saidpassa porous havino' within it a return bendl o? porous material in the forming a wall of the initialy a mixture consisting substantially ge containing silicious material, means for producing a mixture consisting ysubstantially entirely .of air and oil and for admitting such mixture to said passage, and means Jfor supplying source to initiate and maintain partial combustion in thepresence of such porousfmaterial.

36. Apparatusfonmaking gas from hydrocarbon oils which comprises a narrow passage containing porous earthenware, such passage being of relatively great length as compared with its width, means for heatsuiiicient heat from an external' ing`said, passage initially, and means 'for mingling air and oil and for admitting such mixture to said passage, and thereby producing restricted combination of oxygen of the air with constituents of the oil and so maintaining an effective gasifying temperature in the passage.

37. Gas producing apparatus comprising an inclosure adapted for combustion within it and provided with means combustible liquid and air, and a body of porous material within said inclosure having an extended surface adapted for contact with the liquid and gases passing ,thereportion of said porous material,

through, a being across the path of the entering air and liquid, and means for initiating and maintaining combustion within said inclosure. 38. -In the manufacture of gas, the process which comprises Vpassing a mixture of finely divided oil with insuilicient air for complete combustion through an outer passagewhile at a temperature sufhcient to-produce partial combustion, said outer passage containing material adapted to facilitate combustive reaction, then through an inner passage surrounded bylthe said outer passage and having a wall away combustible gasto a point of consumption from the inner passage.

39. In the manufacture of gas, the process which comprises passing a. mixture of Vfinely divided oil with insuiiicient air for complete combustion through a relatively narrow inner passage entirely surrounded by the said outer passage and having a wall in common therewith, and taking away combustible gas to a point of. consumption from the inner passage.

40. A gas-making apparatus provided with' an outer chamber containin vreactionfacilitating material, an inner yc amber in communication with the outer. chamber at one end and surrounded by said outer chamber and having a wall in common therewith,

-or supplying in common therewith, and'taking means for introducing oil and an in suiicient amount of air for complete combustioninto the other end of 'the outer chamber and means for removing combustible gas from the inner chamber. 

